Louis Vuitton Welcomes Pharrell as Creative Director, Symbolizing the Multi-Faceted Professionalism of the Contemporary Age

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton announced who would succeed Virgil Abloh as their Menswear Creative Director, and it was global icon, Pharrell Williams. The news was met with mixed reactions, as some were thrilled with the decision, while others expressed disappointment that a "non-designer" had been chosen. This answer to one of the decade's biggest questions in the fashion world had finally been revealed.

Rumors circulated last summer regarding who may take over Abloh's position at Louis Vuitton -- Grace Wales Bonner, Martine Rose and Telfar Clemens were suggested as potential successors. Eventually, the brand revealed Williams as the "visionary" to lead the menswear division, noting his expertise in music, art, and fashion. It is clear that Louis Vuitton had desired a multi-talented individual for the role for some time.

Under Abloh's leadership, Louis Vuitton demonstrated to the public that luxury no longer needs to be defined by traditional standards. His hiring signaled a new era for the brand, which could now be led by a creative director without a background in design. Abloh's diverse resume - comprising architecture, engineering, DJ-ing and composing - earned him the title of the decade's most influential tastemaker.

Vogue

An image of Pharrell at Louis Vuitton serves to continue the trend of multi-hyphenate creative directors for the French luxury conglomerate, LVMH. Names such as Virgil Abloh, Martine Rose, Samuel Ross, Grace Wales Bonner, Kidsuper, and LVMH tastemakers, serve as curators of the culture. Billionaire Boys Club, BBC Ice Cream, Tiffany & Co, Nigo's Human Made, Chanel, Adidas, Nike, and Kanye West's Yeezy label all represent the current state of fashion.

Taking on a new role, Williams continues the journey Abloh initiated at Louis Vuitton and maybe even further. Diet Prada dubs him the "tastemaker of his generation", which is a sentiment shared by many admirers. His return to Vuitton is the result of a history of design initiatives, including Billionaire Boys Club and BBC ICECREAM with Nigo in the early 2000s. Additionally, he has collaborated with adidas, Uniqlo, G-STAR, Moncler and Tiffany & Co., creating products for all budgets. Moreover, Williams has also worked with Louis Vuitton in 2004 and 2008.

Louis Vuitton's decision to appoint a non-designer celebrity as their Menswear Creative Director is reflective of the contemporary luxury trend to bring future perspectives to the table through multi-hyphenate individuals. Such a move reflects the brand's effort to embed themselves deeper into culture by realizing the power of combining different genres. Creative directors now have to take on more than the conventional role of overseeing brand vision and aesthetics, they are now also expected to act as cultural curators and tastemakers in order to keep up with the industry's changes.

GQ

Those who doubt Williams' potential to bring something new to the table would prefer a young and upcoming designer who could share their ideas for the brand. This is why Williams is the right fit for the job. His wealth of experience in different domains such as music, art, design, and fashion, along with his knowledge of how people interact with products and stories, gives this traditional brand an innovative spin. As marketing experts would tell you, understanding what customers want is a key factor for success. With Williams' wide reach and influence, he might be just what Louis Vuitton needs to thrive in post-Abloh times.

In recent years, Louis Vuitton has been continuing the trend of having multi-hyphenate creative directors. This includes Virgil Abloh, Martine Rose, Samuel Ross, Grace Wales Bonner, KidSuper, and now Pharrell. These tastemakers have become curators of culture, with the likes of Billionaire Boys Club, BBC Ice Cream, Tiffany & Co, NIGO and Human Made, Chanel, adidas, Nike, and Kanye West's YEEZY.

The mingling of the entertainment, music and art industries with the fashion sector has grown increasingly noticeable in our day and age. Consumers have noticed a shift in the industry as fashion starts to include celebrities and non-designers into lead creative roles, like Rihanna and her Fenty luxury partnership with LVMH. Louis Vuitton's menswear show recently made performances by Kendrick Lamar and Rosalia the main focus, showing that the story behind a collection's presentation is just as important as the clothing itself.

Louis Vuitton holds the conviction that amalgamating different genres and concentrating on the current buyers is necessary for it to establish itself as a "cultural" luxury brand for all. Consequently, trendsetters such as Williams will keep the post of creative head in this regard.